First Youth and Students for Peace Program: Pure Love Lecturers’ Training Workshop

The first official program of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) began on March 11, 2017 in the hill station of Baguio. The theme for the 2-day Pure Love Lecturers’ Training Workshop was, “Training and Reviving Pure Love Lecturers for Vision 2020.” Dr. Robert Kittel, the newly appointed IAYSP international president, was the main presenter.

The young lecturers were very excited because they just concluded a very successful Regional Youth Assembly (RYA), March 10 – 11, in the same city. It was the first RYA in Baguio; the eighth assembly in the Philippines with a total of 18 programs planned (one in each district).

The workshop brought together 82 youth leaders from 17 regions and departments of the Philippines. Among them were 26 Second Generation students. Five nationalities were also represented. This was the largest pure love lecturers’ training held anywhere.

“I am so blessed this day knowing that True Mother sent Dr. Kittel to give us this kind of lecturers’ training. I can feel the direct guidance and love of True Parents.” – Jenny Mendoza, member of CARP Manila

“I’m very grateful to Heavenly Parents and True Parents for this great opportunity to be part of this first ever Pure Love Lecturers’ Training Workshop, directly handled by Dr. Kittel. I realized that to be a lecturer is a life and death responsibility. I’m really amazed with the guidance of True Parents to lecturers.” – Leo Angelo T. Halog, ILTP coordinator

Kristine Rabaño, the National Directresss of Pure Love Philippines, organized the workshop. Ronnie Sodusta, CIG Youth Envoy to the Philippines (2nd Class of UPA), acted as the Master of Ceremonies.

There were various components in the teacher training program:

It began focusing on motivation. True Father directly coached the lecturers who taught Victory over Communism. His precious words were used to instill the passion, purpose and principles needed to be an effective teacher.

A model for Pure Love Education for High School students was given. Earlier during the RYA a program for college students called, “Universal Principles of Peace,” was presented.

The youth leaders practiced lecturing to each other in pairs. Everyone got a chance to lecture the entire half-hour Pure Love Education curriculum.

An in-depth analysis for addressing HIV/AIDS discussed three aspects of the problem, examining: What Doesn’t Work, What Works, and How to Make it Better.

Two action and strategic planning sessions were directed by Yea Mi Custodio, the Marketing Head of National Blessed Children Committee of the Philippines, where participants laid out concrete plans with timelines for bringing these educational initiatives to their respective areas of responsibility.

Finally, a lecture contest was held. The winners of the first IAYSP Pure Love Education Lecture Competition were: Leo Halog, Director of International Leadership Training Program of IPLC as the 2nd runner up; Jun Young Teves, a second generation WCARP member as the 1st runner up, and Ninoi Avila, Regional leader of Bicol, a province in the Philippines as the champion.

Father said, “The most serious social problems are youth problems and family breakdown,” (CSG, 307-176,19981108). And in the very first entry in the Cheon Seong Geong, he explains how to solve these problems. “If we apply this truth [Divine Principle] to society, we can resolve all social problems. If we apply it to the world, we can resolve all global problems.”

The Philippines, under the leadership of Dr. Yong Chung-sik as the Continental Director, and Dr. Julius Malicdem, the National Leader and Special Envoy of the Philippines who inaugurated the program, has taken a major step forward in solving youth problems and, importantly, set a model for other nations to follow.